cleopatra-第44章

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Hall。　Then　the　Court　broke　up；　and　as　the　lords　and　councillors　went

by　they　looked　on　me　with　mockery。　For　though　none　knew　all　my　secret；

nor　how　it　stood　between　me　and　Cleopatra；　yet　they　were　jealous　of

the　favour　shown　me　by　the　Queen；　and　rejoiced　greatly　at　my　fall。　But

I　took　no　heed　of　their　mocking　as　I　stood　dazed　with　misery　and　felt

the　world　of　Hope　slip　from　beneath　my　feet。







CHAPTER　XIII



OF　THE　REPROACH　OF　HARMACHIS；　OF　THE　STRUGGLE　OF　HARMACHIS

WITH　THE　GUARDS；　OF　THE　BLOW　OF　BRENNUS；　AND　OF　THE　SECRET

SPEECH　OF　CLEOPATRA



And　at　length；　all　being　gone；　I；　too；　turned　to　go；　when　a　eunuch

struck　me　on　the　shoulder　and　roughly　bade　me　wait　on　the　presence　of

the　Queen。　An　hour　past　this　fellow　would　have　crawled　to　me　on　his

knees；　but　he　had　heard；　and　now　he　treated　meso　brutish　is　the

nature　of　such　slavesas　the　world　treats　the　fallen；　with　scorn。　For

to　come　low　after　being　great　is　to　learn　all　shame。　Unhappy；

therefore；　are　the　Great；　for　they　may　fall！



I　turned　upon　the　slave　with　so　fierce　a　word　that；　cur…like；　he

sprang　behind　me；　then　I　passed　on　to　the　Alabaster　Hall；　and　was

admitted　by　the　guards。　In　the　centre　of　the　hall；　near　the　fountain；

sat　Cleopatra；　and　with　her　were　Charmion　and　the　Greek　girl　Iras；　and

Merira　and　other　of　her　waiting…ladies。　〃Go；〃　she　said　to　these；　〃I

would　speak　with　my　astrologer。〃　So　they　went；　and　left　us　face　to

face。



〃Stand　thou　there；〃　she　said；　lifting　her　eyes　for　the　first　time。

〃Come　not　nigh　me；　Harmachis：　I　trust　thee　not。　Perchance　thou　hast

found　another　dagger。　Now；　what　hast　thou　to　say？　By　what　right　didst

thou　dare　to　break　in　upon　my　talk　with　the　Roman？〃



I　felt　the　blood　rush　through　me　like　a　storm；　bitterness　and　burning

anger　took　hold　of　my　heart。　〃What　hast　/thou/　to　say；　Cleopatra？〃　I

answered　boldly。　〃Where　is　thy　vow；　sworn　on　the　dead　heart　of

Menkau…ra；　the　ever…living？　Where　now　thy　challenge　to　this　Roman

Antony？　Where　thy　oath　that　thou　wouldest　call　me　'husband'　in　the

face　of　Egypt？〃　and　I　choked　and　ceased。



〃Well　doth　it　become　Harmachis；　who　never　was　forsworn；　to　speak　to　me

of　oaths！〃　she　said　in　bitter　mockery。　〃And　yet；　O　thou　most　pure

Priest　of　Isis；　and　yet；　O　thou　most　faithful　friend；　who　never　didst

betray　thy　friends；　and　yet；　O　thou　most　steadfast；　honourable；　and

upright　man；　who　never　bartered　thy　birthright；　thy　country；　and　thy

cause　for　the　price　of　a　woman's　passing　loveby　what　token　knowest

thou　that　my　word　is　void？〃



〃I　will　not　answer　thy　taunts；　Cleopatra；〃　I　said；　holding　back　my

heart　as　best　I　might；　〃for　I　have　earned　them　all；　though　not　from

thee。　By　this　token；　then；　I　know　it。　Thou　goest　to　visit　Antony；　thou

goest；　as　said　that　Roman　knave；　'tricked　in　thy　best　attire；'　to

feast　with　him　whom　thou　shouldst　give　to　vultures　for　their　feast。

Perhaps；　for　aught　I　know；　thou　art　about　to　squander　those　treasures

that　thou　hast　filched　from　the　body　of　Menkau…ra；　those　treasures

stored　against　the　need　of　Egypt；　upon　wanton　revels　which　shall

complete　the　shame　of　Egypt。　By　these　things；　then；　I　know　that　thou

art　forsworn；　and　I；　who；　loving　thee；　believed　thee；　tricked；　and　by

this；　also；　that　thou　who　didst　but　yesternight　swear　to　wed　me；　dost

to…day　cover　me　with　taunts；　and　even　before　that　Roman　put　me　to　an

open　shame！〃



〃To　wed　thee？　and　I　did　swear　to　wed　thee？　Well；　and　what　is　marriage？

Is　it　the　union　of　the　heart；　that　bond　beautiful　as　gossamer　and　than

gossamer　more　light；　which　binds　soul　to　soul；　as　they　float　through

the　dreamy　night　of　passion；　a　bond　to　be；　perchance；　melted　in　the

dews　of　dawn？　Or　is　it　the　iron　link　of　enforced；　unchanging　union

whereby　if　sinks　the　one　the　other　must　be　dragged　beneath　the　sea　of

circumstance；　there；　like　a　punished　slave；　to　perish　of　unavoidable

corruption？＇*＇　Marriage！　/I/　to　marry！　/I/　to　forget　freedom　and　court

the　worst　slavery　of　our　sex；　which；　by　the　selfish　will　of　man；　the

stronger；　still　binds　us　to　a　bed　grown　hateful；　and　enforces　a

service　that　love　mayhap　no　longer　hallows！　Of　what　use；　then；　to　be　a

Queen；　if　thereby　I　may　not　escape　the　evil　of　the　meanly　born？　Mark

thou；　Harmachis：　Woman　being　grown　hath　two　ills　to　fearDeath　and

Marriage；　and　of　these　twain　is　Marriage　the　more　vile；　for　in　Death

we　may　find　rest；　but　in　Marriage；　should　it　fail　us；　we　must　find

hell。　Nay；　being　above　the　breath　of　common　slander　that　enviously

would　blast　those　who　of　true　virtue　will　not　consent　to　stretch

affection's　links；　I　/love/；　Harmachis；　but　I　/marry/　not！〃



＇*＇　Referring　to　the　Roman　custom　of　chaining　a　living　felon　to　the

　　　　body　of　one　already　dead。Editor。



〃And　yesternight；　Cleopatra；　thou　didst　swear　that　thou　wouldst　wed

me；　and　call　me　to　thy　side　before　the　face　of　Egypt！〃



〃And　yesternight；　Harmachis；　the　red　ring　round　the　moon　marked　the

coming　of　the　storm；　and　yet　the　day　is　fair！　But　who　knows　that　the

tempest　may　not　break　to…morrow？　Who　knows　that　I　have　not　chosen　the

easier　path　to　save　Egypt　from　the　Roman？　Who　knows；　Harmachis；　that

thou　shalt　not　still　call　me　wife？〃



Then　I　no　longer　could　bear　her　falsehood；　for　I　saw　that　she　but

played　with　me。　And　so　I　spoke　that　which　was　in　my　heart：



〃Cleopatra！〃　I　cried；〃　thou　didst　swear　to　protect　Egypt；　and　thou　art

about　to　betray　Egypt　to　the　Roman！　Thou　didst　swear　to　use　the

treasures　that　I　revealed　to　thee　for　the　service　of　Egypt；　and　thou

art　about　to　use　them　to　be　her　means　of　shameto　fashion　them　as

fetters　for　her　wrists！　Thou　didst　swear　to　wed　me；　who　loved　thee；

and　for　thee　gave　all；　and　thou　dost　mock　me　and　reject　me！　Therefore

I　saywith　the　voice　of　the　dread　Gods　I　say　it！that　on　/thee/

shall　fall　the　curse　of　Menkau…ra；　whom　thou　hast　robbed　indeed！　Let

me　go　hence　and　work　out　my　fate！　Let　me　go；　O　thou　fair　Shame！　thou

living　Lie！　whom　I　have　loved　to　my　doom；　and　who　hast　brought　upon　me

the　last　curse　of　doom！　Let　me　hide　myself　and　see　thy　face　no　more！〃



She　rose　in　her　wrath；　and　she　was　terrible　to　see。



〃Let　thee　go　to　stir　up　evil　against　me！　Nay；　Harmachis；　thou　shalt

not　go　to　build　new　plots　against　my　throne！　I　say　to　thee　that　thou；

too；　shalt　come　to　visit　Antony　in　Cilicia；　and　there；　perchance；　I

will　let　thee　go！〃　And　ere　I　could　answer；　she　had　struck　upon　the

silver　gong　that　hung　near　her。



Before　its　rich　echo　had　died　away；　Charmion　and　the　waiting…women

entered　from　one　door；　and　from　the　other；　a　file　of　soldiersfour　of

them　of　the　Queen's　bodyguard；　mighty　men；　with　winged　helmets　and

long　fair　hair。



〃Seize　that　traitor！〃　cried　Cleopatra；　pointing　to　me。　The　captain　of

the　guardit　was　Brennussaluted　and　came　towards　me　with　drawn

sword。



But　I；　being　mad　and　desperate；　and　caring　little　if　they　slew　me；

flew　straight　at　his　throat；　and　dealt　him　such　a　heavy　blow　that　the

great　man　fell　headlong；　and　his　armour　clashed　upon　the　marble　floor。

As　he　fell　I　seized　his　sword　and　targe；　and；　meeting　the　next；　who

rushed　on　me　with　a　shout；　caught　his　blow　upon　the　shield；　and　in

answer　smote　with　all　my　strength。　The　sword　fell　where　the　neck　is

set　into　the　shoulder；　and；　shearing　through　the　joints　of　his

harness；　slew　him；　so　that　his　knees　were　loosened　and　he　sank　down

dead。　And　the　third；　as　he　came；　I　caught　upon　the　point　of　my　sword

before　he　could　strike；　and　it　pierced　him　and　he　died。　Then　the　last

rushed　on　me　with　a　cry　of　〃Taranis！〃　and　I；　too；　rushed　on　him；　for

my　blood　was　aflame。　Now　the　women　shriekedonly　Cleopatra　said

nothing；　but　stood　and　watched　the　unequal　fray。　We　met；　and　I　struck

with　all　my　strength；　and　it　was　a　mighty　blow；　for　the　sword　shore

through　the　iron　shell　and　shattered　there；　leaving　me　weaponless。

With　a　shout　of　triumph　the　guard　swung　up　his　sword　and　smote　down

upon　my　head；　but　I　caught　the　blow　with　my　shield。　Again　he　smote；

and　again　I　parried；